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K3: Understanding of the basic theories of behavior problems exhibited by individuals with DCD.

S5: Familiarity with the use of a variety of instructional strategies (including functional life skills approach, community-based instruction, task analysis, multi-sensory, and concrete or manipulative techniques) to appropriately support the needs of students with DCD.

S6: Familiarity with techniques used to stimulate language, basic academic, and literacy skills of students with DCD (including the integration of art, music, and body movement into instruction).

K9: Understanding of basic aspects of a classroom environment that are relevant to meeting the physical, cognitive, cultural, and communication needs of children and youth with DCD.

S7: Familiarity with the use of developmentally appropriate classroom management strategies that are appropriate for supporting the needs of students with DCD.

K10: Knowledge of sources and uses of appropriate materials and equipment to meet the needs of children and youth with DCD (including adaptive, augmentative, and assistive technologies).


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Adapting the Educational Environment

Picture of a student sitting in the hallway, waiting. The classroom needs to be a place that enriches and nurtures the learning of all students. Students with DCD often benefit when simple modifications are made to the educational environment. The paraprofessional needs to work with special education and classroom teachers to create a place where learning is fostered for all students.

As you may remember from Core Competency Area 5: Supporting the Teaching and Learning Environment, there are several factors that affect the teaching and learning environment. These include the learner, the teacher, the subject matter, and the instructional strategy used in the classroom. You may want to review Core Competency Area 5 for additional information on supporting learning before completing this lesson.

These common modifications are used in the classroom environment:

Rearrange the classroom furniture including desks, chairs, and work stations to meet the students’ needs.
Plan environmental changes carefully and to meet the needs of all students, not just students with disabilities.
Set up the classroom with clearly defined areas that promote a variety of learning methods.
Rearrange where and how learning materials are stored to make them easier for students to find and use.
Assess the needs of the student: Do they need to be closer to the teacher, blackboard, or other learning area to pay attention? Do some students have hearing or visual impairments, and would these students benefit from sitting in the front of the class?

References

Minnesota Department of Education. (2004). Promising practices for the identification of individuals with developmental disabilities (draft) (Developmental Cognitive Disability Manual). Retrieved March 21, 2007, from http://www.nesc.k12.mn.us/special_ed/manuals/

A portion of the information for the unit was used with permission from:

Institute on Community Integration. (n.d.). Para eLink Core Competency Area: Supporting the Teaching and Learning Environment. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota. Retrieved June 30, 2006, from http://ici2.umn.edu/elink/general/c5_units.html